Ventilation of a tunnel, mine adit or the like

ABSTRACT

The supply of fresh ventilation air to a tunnel is improved by blowing, by means of a fan or air mover, air along one wall of the tunnel, or along the ceiling of the tunnel, and by moving said fan or air mover forward and backward in the tunnel. The air in the tunnel is stratified, and therefore the ventilation is effective also in tunnels of a considerable length.

United States Patent [191 Janelid et al.

[111 3,824,911 [4 1' July 23, 1974 VENTILATION OF A TUNNEL, MINE ADIT OR THE LIKE [75] Inventors: Ingvar Janelid, Forsetevagen l8,

Djursholm; Sven Gunnar Bergdahl, Jakobsberg, both of Sweden [73] Assignee: Said Janelid, by said Bergdahl [22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 313,520

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 16, 1971 Sweden 16176/71 [52] U.S. Cl. 98/50, 299/12 [51] Int. Cl EZlf H00 [58] Field of Search 98/49, 50; 299/12 X; 239/77, 78

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1929 Perryman 98/50 3,320,765 5/1967 Chapple et al 98/50 X 3,333,896 8/1967 Diamanti 98/50 X 3,712,678 l/l973 Amoroso 299/12 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 921,687 l1/l954 Germany 98/50 Primary Examiner-William F ODea Assistant Examiner-Peter D. Ferguson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Toren & McGeady [5 7] ABSTRACT The supply of fresh ventilation air to a tunnel is improved by blowing, by means of a fan or air mover, air along one wall of the tunnel, or along the ceiling of the tunnel, and by moving said fan or air mover fora ward and backward in the tunnel. The air in the tunnel is stratified, and therefore the ventilation is effective also in tunnels of a considerable length.

17 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL2319M SHEET 2 [IF 5 Fm v.

RM mm mm AU. mm 7 Q N mnwm wv w mi PATENT EDJUL23I874 SHEET 3 m 5 PATENTED JUL 2 3 I974 Hi 5 0F 5 Fig.8

VENTILATION or A TUNNEL, MINE ADIT on HE LIKE ample gases from blasting and radioactive gases, such as radon, which may be released from the rock.

When tunnels are being made underground where through-ventilation is not possible gases from the blasting operations, loading machinesand the like mustbe removed by means of special ventilation equipment, and fresh air must be supplied.

The normal procedure is, by using fans, air movers and pipes in various combinations, either to suck out air and gases from the inner parts of the tunnel, or to blow in fresh air through pipes, and in this way force out the air already in the tunnel.

The situation is slightly different for small and large tunnels. In very small tunnels (less than about In) the arrangement of fans and pipes is difficult since the vehicles must have space. There is usually room for pipes in average-sized tunnels (10 30 m) but the pipes are easily damaged during blasting operations and when vehiclesand drilling machines are passing through. The arrangement is relatively expensive. In largetunnels a certain amount of circulation of the air is obtained by means of layered air flow along the bottom and ceiling, but even here large fans are in principle used in order to achieve good ventilation.

Blasting, for example for extending the tunnel, is usually performed at the end of a working shift, and the tunnel can then be ventilated relatively quickly. When vehiclespowered by combustion motors, usually diesel vehicles, are used and run temporarily or continuously during the working shift, exhaust gas isproduced and must be continuously removed in order to enable workers to work. in; the tunnel. Very extensive, expensive and difficult work has been carried out and is still going on to investigate the possibilities of other sources of power, for example Stirling motors which produce less gas, electric battery operation, fuel cells, etc. So far, the diesel motor has proved to be the most convenient and economic in operation disregarding the exhaust gases. If a satisfactory system of ventilation could be achieved at not too great expense loading and hauling would be continued using diesel motors, or other types of combustion motors, for many years to come.

When ore is being mined underground in Swedish mines as well as many foreign mines sub-level caving is one of the methods used. The work is performed mostly in galleries or tunnels of 10 30 m in area and up to about 100 m in length. The ventilation may be inadequate since fan pipes are easily damaged, and attempts 2 v be partially transferred to the nearest fresh air tunnel.

According to the invention it has been found that improved ventilation can be obtained by producing a layered air flow between the inner part of the tunnel and the mouth of the tunnel with the help of a fan or air mover which blows the air from one wall of the tunnel towards the opposite wall of the tunnel in the direction of the mouth of the tunnel, the fan being moved forward and backward in the tunnel.

Heat is generally generated in a tunnel, for example by the combustion motors of the machines and vehicles used for mining and transporting the ore in a mine. Sometimes the tunnel walls are warmer than the ventilation air I entering the tunnel. The heated air rises towards the ceiling of the tunnel thus producing a strat-' ification of the air. According to the invention this natural Stratification is utilized by sucking the air from the bottom of the tunnel and blowing it out along the ceiling of the tunnel. If the fan is mounted on a diesel-run vehicle, the air flowing out can suitably be heated by mixing it with the exhaust gas from the diesel motor. Alternatively, the air flow can be heated by the heat from the diesel motor cooler (radiator). In this case the fan which blows cooling air through the cooler may be used as ventilation fan. In order to be able to take care of the ventilation in accordance with the invention the fan should preferably be dimensioned larger than if it were only to act as cooling fan. Stratification could be improved by extra heat.

The fan is suitably placed on a vehicle. This vehicle may be arranged solely for the purpose of carrying the fan with the suction and blowout pipes. Thevehicle' may, for instance, run on rails extending along the length of the tunnel. However, the fan is preferably arranged on a working vehicle, for example a loading machine or transport vehicle. The vehicle may run on a track. Because of the movement of the vehicle forward and backward in the tunnel, effective ventilation of every part of the tunnel is achieved. A great advantage tion is obtained just where work is being carried out. If

are therefore made to use blowers or simple ventilating causing the exhaustgases to be mixed with air and to the vehicle is electrically driven it produces no exhaust gas, and the fan can then be used only for the removal of gases'caused by blasting and the like. i

A fan which is placed on a diesel-driven vehicle can be driven by a separate combustion motor. According to another embodiment it can be 'driven by power transmission from the main motor of the vehicle, for example electrically, hydraulically or mechanically. If the fan is powered by the main motor it may be suitably to construct the power transmission from the main motor to the fan so that the power for the fan is decreased during the rather short periods when the main motor must run on full power. This temporary decrease in the power of the fan has no noticeable effect on the total ventilation.

In the following the invention will be further described with reference to the. accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 -9 show nine embodiments of vehicles provided with ventilation means according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a loading machine 1 operating in a mining gallery 2 near the end wall 3 of the gallery. At its other end the gallery communicates with a tunnel 4 for transportation and for the supply of fresh air. The load- 3 ing machine 1 runs on wheels 5 and is provided with a loading scoop 6, a drivers cabin 7 and a diesel motor 8 with exhaust pipe 9. A ventilation fan 10 driven by the motor 8 is mounted on the loading machine. A suction pipe 11 is connected to the fan and extends horizontally close to the ground. It has a funnel-shaped enlarged end 1 la directed towards the fresh air gallery 4 when the loading machine is in its normal working position. Alternatively, the suction pipe 11 may be omitted. The fan is also connected to an exhaust pipe 12 having substantially the same direction as the suction pipe but which is also directed obliquely upwards towards the ceiling of the gallery. The exhaust pipe 9 of the diesel motor opens into the exhaust pipe 12.

Because of the suction close to the ground and the blowingout along the ceiling, the fan 10 will develop the stratified air flow indicated by the arrows. The stratification is facilitated since the air blown out has been heated by the dieselexhaust gas and by the heated cooling air. If, for example, a 250 hp diesel motor is used, and the ventilation fan generatesan air flow of 6 m per second, an increase in the air temperature of about 7C has been noted. The stratification results in an exchange of fresh air and contaminated air between as that in FIG. 1. A ventilation fan 13 driven by the main motor is mounted on the lower part of the loading machine, near the ground. A curved guide: vane 14 is arranged to catch the air blown out from the fan and lead it obliquely upwards and outwardstowards the fresh air tunnel 4. The exhaust pipe 15 from the diesel motor opens out in the same direction. Close to the fan 17 for the cooler 18 for the diesel motor is a second curved guide vane 16 which leads the heated cooling air upwards and outwards towards the fresh air tunnel 4, thus contributing to the Stratification of the air in the gallery 2. v

When the vehicle moves in the direction to the fresh air tunnel 4 the air from the outer part of the gallery 2 will pass the vehicle to the inner part of the gallery. To prevent contaminated air from reaching the inner part of the gallery in this way, some of the fresh air blown out from the ventilating fan can be led past the vehicle towards the inner part of the gallery. In the embodiment according to FIG. 2 this is achieved by connecting a horizontal pipe 49 to an opening in the guide vane 14. The pipe 49 contains a damper 50 which is kept open when the vehicle is moving in the direction of the outer part of the gallery and shut when the vehicle moves towards the inner part of the gallery.

FIG. 3 shows a loading truck 19 running on wheels 20 and provided with a load container 21, a drivers cabin 22 and a diesel engine 23. The exhaust pipe 23a of the engine is directed obliquely upwards and forwards, i.e., in the direction of the fresh air tunnel when the truck is in its normal loading position with the load container facing the inner end of the gallery. Behind the cooler (radiator) 26 of the diesel engine a fan is arranged which is driven by the diesel engine. However, the fan is preferably dimensioned to be considerably more powerful than would be necessary only for cooling the cooler 26. A wall 24 ensures that the cooling air comes from near the bottom of the gallery 2. Behind the fan 25 is a curved guide vane 27 which directs the air blown out obliquely forward and upwards. Dur- 4 ing its passage through the cooler 26 the ventilating air is heated and this heating contributes to increasing the Stratification of the air in the gallery 2.

FIG. 4 shows a truck 19 of the same type as that shown in FIG. 3. A fan 31 is mounted on the truck. The

fan is driven by the diesel engine and is provided with two suction pipes 32, 33, the orifices of which are located near the ground. One pipe 32 is directed backwards and the other pipe 33 is directed forwards. With the help of a damper 34 the fan 31 can be connected to the pipe 32 or the pipe 33 as desired. The exhaust pipe 35 of the fan extends vertically upwards to a level slightly above the drivers cabin 22 and branches here to fonn a branch pipe 36 facing backwards and a branch pipe 37 facing forwards. The air blown out can be directed either backwards or forwards by means of a damper 38. The exhaust pipe 39 of the diesel engine opens into the exhaust pipe 35 so that the ventilating air blown out is heated. When the truck 19 is being used the dampers 34, 38 are set so that the suction and blow-out pipe of the fan are directed towards the mouth of the gallery 2. In this way satisfactory ventilation is obtained both when the truck is facing the inner part of the gallery and when it is facing the mouth of the gallery. 1

In the embodiments described above the ventilation fan has been combined with pipes or guide vanes to direct the air as desired. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment without such pipes or guide vanes. A fan 40 is mounted on the lower part of a loading machine 1 of the type described in connection with FIG. 1 and 2. This fan sucks air from the fresh air tunnel along the bottom of the gallery 2. A second fan 41 is mounted on the upper part of the loading machine and blows air in the direction of the fresh air gallery. In order to facilitate stratification of the air in the gallery the exhaust pipe 44 of the diesel motor faces in the direction of the air flow, i.e., towards the fresh air tunnel. Furthermore, a guide vane or blow-out pipe 43 directed obliquely upwards and outwards towards the fresh air tunnel is arranged behind the cooling fan 42 of the motor,

- FIG. 6 illustrates a loading truck 19 of the general type shown in FIG. 3. The same reference characters are used for similar parts. In addition to the ordinary cooling fan 25 an extra fan or air mover 50 is mounted on top of the diesel engine 23. The exhaust pipe 51 of said extra fan is mounted in a rotatable way, so that its angle to the horizontal can be varied. The ventilation air passes through the cooler 26, the fan 25, the fan 50, and the exhaust pipe 51, and is blown along the ceiling of the gallery 2 towards the fresh air tunnel. The'exhaust gas from the diesel engine 23 enters into the fan 50 through a pipe 52.

FIG. 7 illustrates a loading truck 19 of the general type shown in FIG. 6. The cooling fan 53 of the diesel engine 23 is arranged to blow the cooling air in a direction reverse to that suggested in FIG. 6. The housing surrounding the diesel engine has an air inlet opening 57 in its bottom and an air outlet pipe 55 connected to its front wall. The ventilation air enters through the opening 57, passes through the fan 53 and the cooler 54, and is blown along the ceiling of the gallery 2 towards the fresh air tunnel. The exhaust gas from the diesel engine 23 leaves through a pipe 56 and mixes with the leaving ventilation air.

FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of a vehicle 60 in a gallery 67. Only the front portion of the vehicle is illustrated, viz. the front wheels 61, the engine 62, the cooler (radiator) 63 and the cooling fan 64. An air inlet duct 65 is situated on the right-hand side of the engine housing, and an air outlet pipe 66 is situated on the lefthand side of the engine housing. Ventilation air is taken from near one side wall of the gallery 67, is blown by the fan 64 through the radiator 63, and the heated air is blown through the pipe 66 along the other side wall of the gallery towards the fresh air tunnel. It is likely that the warmer stream of air, leaving the gallery, is stratified upon the colder stream of air entering the gallery. This stratification may be strengthened if the air outlet 66 is situated at a higher level than is the air inlet 65.

FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of the front portion of a vehicle of the same general type as that of FIG. 8. Similar reference characters indicate similar parts. The cooling fan 64 is arranged to blow air in a direction reverse to that suggested in FIG. 8. An additional fan 69 is provided in the air outlet pipe 66. Only part of the ventilation air entering through the inlet 65 passes through the radiator 63. The entire quantity of ventilation air leaves through the outlet 66, under the action of the fans 64 and 69, and is blown along the wall of the gallery towards the fresh air tunnel.

The ventilation illustrated by FIGS. 8 and 9 is useful particularly for tunnels having a width which is greater than their height.

In order to achieve a good stratification of the air in the gallery the speed of the air flowing in and out should be adjusted so that the formation of eddies is avoided. It is therefore advisable to be able to vary the quantity of air passing through the fan means on the vehicle, for example by regulating the rate of revolutions with respect to the speed and direction of travel of the vehicle and to the area of the tunnel.

The stratification of the air in the tunnel is increased, and a better ventilation is thus obtained, if one or more fans or the like are placed in the mouth of the tunnel to blow in fresh air along the bottom and such out contaminated air along the ceiling.

A vehicle provided with ventilation means according to the invention also improves the ventilation in tunnels which are open at both ends.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of ventilating a tunnel having an open mouth at one end and closed at its other end by an end wall, comprising movably positioning a blower source in the tunnel, blowing air by means of the blower source along at least one of the side walls and ceiling of the tunnel in the direction of the mouth of the tunnel, and moving the blower source forward and backward through the tunnel in the direction between its mouth and end wall for producing stratified air currents between the end wall and the mouth of the tunnel.

2. Method of ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 1, comprising mounting the blower source on a motor vehicle, moving the vehicle through the tunnel in the direction between its end wall and its mouth, and directing the air from the blower source in heat exhcange with the heat generated by the motor of the vehicle and directing the heated air towards the ceiling of the tunnel to improve the stratification of the air in the tunnel.

3. Method of ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim thebottom of the tunnel and directing the air sucked into the blower source toward the ceiling of the tunnel and in the direction of the mouth of the tunnel.

4. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, such as a tunnel having an open mouth at one end and an end wall at its other end, comprising a vehicle, means mounted on said vehicle for moving said vehicle forward and backward in the tunnel between its end wall and its open mouth, and at least one fan fitted on said vehicle and arranged to blow air along at least one of the side walls and ceiling of the tunnel in the direction of the mouth of the tunnel.

5. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that said fan comprises an air inlet pipe connected at one end to said fan and having its other end located near the bottom of the tunnel for drawing air from the bottom of the tunnel into said fan and an air outlet pipe connected at one end to said fan and directed substantially horizontally and its other end opening at a higher level than said inlet pipe.

\ 6. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that said vehicle comprises an internal combustion motor having an exhaust gas pipe and said exhaust gas pipe opening into said air outlet pipe downstream from said fan.

7. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that a curved guide vane is connected to said ventilation fan mounted on said vehicle for changing the direction of air flow from said fan.

8. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that a deisel motor is mounted on said vehicle for driving it in the tunnel and a cooling fan associated with said deisel motor and arranged to blow heated cooling air from said deisel motor in the same direction as the ventilation air is directed along at least one of the side walls and ceiling of the tunnel.

9. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that a deisel motor is mounted on said vehicle for driving said vehicle through the tunnel, a cooler associated with said deisel motor for cool-' ing said motor, and said ventilation fan arranged to direct the ventilating air through said cooler of said deisel motor.

10. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that means are associated with said air outlet pipe leading from said ventilation fan for selectively directing the air passing through said outlet pipe in different directions through the tunnel.

11. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that said outlet pipe comprises two branch pipes each extending in an opposite direction, and said means associated with said air outlet pipe comprises a damper for directing the air from said ventilation fan through a selected one of said branch pipes.

12. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that two said ventilation fans are mounted on said vehicle each positioned at a diffemt level and each arranged to blow the ventilation air in an opposite direction to the tunnel.

13. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized by means associated with said ventilation fan for directing the portion of the air from said fan toward the end wall of the tunnel.

14. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 13, characterized by means associated with said ventilation fan for varying the quantity of air directed from said fan towards the mouth of the tunnel depending on the direction of movement of the vehicle and its speed.

15. A vehicle for use in tunneling operations comprising a vehicle body, propulsion means mounted on said vehicle body for independent movement of the vehicle through a tunnel, ventilation means mounted on said vehicle body for ventilating the air surrounding the vehicle, said ventilation means comprising a ventilation fan, an air inlet conduit connected at one end to said fan, an air outlet conduit connected at one end to said fan and the other end of said air outlet conduit being arranged to direct the air from said ventilation fan in a substantially horizontal direction in the opposite directravel of the vehicle.

a 2 IlNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION pa ent No, 3,824,911 Dated July 23, 1974 lnventm-(s) Ingvar Janelid and Sven Gunnar Bergdahl rs in the above-identified patient It is certif led that error appea by corrected as shown below:

and that Said Letters Patent are here In column 5, line 60 (claim 2, line 5) "exhcange" sho nld read -exchange-.

In column 6,}lines 31, 33, 34 3s, 40 and 42 (clalm 8., lines 2, 4 and 5 and claim 9, lines 2, 4 and 6) "deisel" should read -diesel-.

Signedand sealed this 29th day of October 1974.

(SEAL) AtteBt McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 6037 B-POD FORM PC4050 (10-69) w u.s. GOVERNMENT ramnua ornc: nu o-su-su, 

1. A method of ventilating a tunnel having an open mouth at one end and closed at its other end by an end wall, comprising movably positioning a blower source in the tunnel, blowing air by means of the blower source along at least one of the side walls and ceiling of the tunnel in the direction of the mouth of the tunnel, and moving the blower source forward and backward through the tunnel in the direction between its mouth and end wall for producing stratified air currents between the end wall and the mouth of the tunnel.
 2. Method of ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 1, comprising mounting the blower source on a motor vehicle, moving the vehicle through the tunnel in the direction between its end wall and its mouth, and directing the air from the blower source in heat exhcange with the heat generated by the motor of the vehicle and directing the heated air towards the ceiling of the tunnel to improve the stratification of the air in the tunnel.
 3. Method of ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 2, comprising sucking air into the blower source from the bottom of the tunnel and directing the air sucked into the blower source toward the ceiling of the tunnel and in the direction of the mouth of the tunnel.
 4. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, such as a tunnel having an open mouth at one end and an end wall at its other end, comprising a vehicle, means mounted on said vehicle for moving said vehicle forward and backward in the tunnel between its end wall and its open mouth, and at least one fan fitted on said vehicle and arranged to blow air along at least one of the side walls and ceiling of the tunnel in the direction of the mouth of the tunnel.
 5. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that said fan comprises an air inlet pipe connected at one end to said fan and having its other end located near the bottom of the tunnel for drawing air from the bottom of the tunnel into said fan and an air outlet pipe connected at one end to said fan and directed substantially horizontally and its other end opening at a higher level than said inlet pipe.
 6. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that said vehicle comprises an internal combustion motor having an exhaust gas pipe and said exhaust gas pipe opening into said air outlet pipe downstream from said fan.
 7. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that a curved guide vane is connected to said ventilation fan mounted on said vehicle for changing the direction of air flow from said fan.
 8. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that a deisel motor is mounted on said vehicle for driving it in the tunnel and a cooling fan associated with said deisel motor and arranged to blow heated cooling air from said deisel motor in the same direction as the ventilation air is directed along at least one of the side walls and ceiling of the tunnel.
 9. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that a deisel motor is mounted on said vehicle for driving said vehicle through the tunnel, a cooler associated with said deisel motor for cooling said motor, and said ventilation fan arranged to direct the ventilating air through said cooler of said deisel motor.
 10. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that means are associated with said air outlet pipe leading from said ventilation fan for selectively directing the air passing through said outlet pipe in different directions through the tunnel.
 11. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that said outlet pipe comprises two branch pipes each extending in an opposite direction, and said means associated with said air outlet pipe comprises a damper for directing the air from said ventilation fan through a selected one of said branch pipes.
 12. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that two said ventilation fans are mounted on said vehicle each positioned at a differnt level and each arranged to blow the ventilation air in an opposite direction to the tunnel.
 13. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 4, characterized by means associated with said ventilation fan for directing the portion of the air from said fan toward the end wall of the tunnel.
 14. Machine for ventilating a tunnel, as set forth in claim 13, characterized by means associated with said ventilation fan for varying the quantity of air directed from said fan towards the mouth of the tunnel depending on the direction of movement of the vehicle and its speed.
 15. A vehicle for use in tunneling operations comprising a vehicle body, propulsion means mounted on said vehicle body for independent movement of the vehicle through a tunnel, ventilation means mounted on said vehicle body for ventilating the air surrounding the vehicle, said ventilation means comprising a ventilation fan, an air inlet conduit connected at one end to said fan, an air outlet conduit connected at one end to said fan and the other end of said air outlet conduit being arranged to direct the air from said ventilation fan in a substantially horizontal direction in the opposite direction to which the air enters said fan through said air inlet conduit.
 16. A vehicle, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said air inlet conduit has its end spaced from said fan located in the lower portion of the vehicle below said fan and said air outlet conduit has its opening spaced from said fan located in the upper portion of said vehicle above said fan.
 17. A vehicle, as set forth in claim 16, wherein said air outlet conduit is a tubular member extending substantially horizontally in the direction of the paths of travel of the vehicle. 